(17 Nov 2016, 9:11 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Definitely some security about, There's a main office with a few security men in just next door to House of Fraser on the top level.

There's always members of staff about though in there Intu uniforms.

I understand, I'm from South Shields and I think the same about it with it being my hometown, Its just it'll never get far haha, I have to say with some of the places ive been on outings, I can say Shields is one of the biggest Shitholes in Northern England!
Though with nothing being done in Shields I look at Newcastle with it being home to the team I support ( Newcastle United ) But I wouldn't be surprised if I would be doing the same for Sunderland I was from there.  

Hopefully it can become a nice place soon, I like seeing places develop,  One of the reason's I'm going to take Geography for GSCE's at school in a few months.

Isn't South Shields getting redeveloped too?,if so, there's another getting investment to the NE.

If you want to see a terrible run down town, visit Spennymoor, loads of closed units and it just looks totally grim.

In regards to nowhere being open in Bishop Auckland on Boxing Day, I think most of the major shops in the town centre will be open such as Asda and Morrisons then I imagine the likes of Topshop/Topman, Scotts, Grainger Games, Wilko, Poundland and Poundworld will be open in the town plus Sainsburys, Tesco Extra, Next, TK Maxx, M&S and JD will probably all be open up at St Helens Auckland (Tindle Crescent).

Mind saying about shops opening on Boxing Day, there is currently a petition wanting to ban shops from opening on Boxing Day, if the attempts are successful, I think that would seriously impact any chances of services operating on a commercially successful basis a struggle, about the only thing that would probably keep numbers up on Tyneside would be Newcastle United playing at home, if they are away, it could be a disaster.

So what routes will be running in the north tyneside area?
Same as last year apart from the 310 variation?

1-Whitley Bay to North Shields Ferry
309-Newcastle to Blyth via billy mill instead of cobalt
310-north shields to newcastle via hadrian park. Does this mean the 57 wont be running this far down. .?

(18 Nov 2016, 12:29 am)dannygee wrote So what routes will be running in the north tyneside area?
Same as last year apart from the 310 variation?

1-Whitley Bay to North Shields Ferry
309-Newcastle to Blyth via billy mill instead of cobalt
310-north shields to newcastle via hadrian park. Does this mean the 57 wont be running this far down. .?

Like I said earlier, laughable. Not one service will serve Wallsend yet again, with only the 22 running between Wallsend and Newcastle, and maybe the 40.

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What does Eldon Square have over the Metrocentre? John Lewis and Fenwick for starters. The *only* major store that the Metrocentre has uniquely is House of Fraser. There are countless restaurants and bars opening every year in Newcastle and the new Grey's Quarter is fantastic! Next week, the council is set to give the East Pilgrim Street project reboot the final go-ahead.

As for Boxing Day services, the 22 and 40 will be operating. I wish they'd operate a bit longer into the early evening, though. Similarly, I do think it's high time the 18:00 cut offs on Christmas and New Year's Eve were consigned to history.

(18 Nov 2016, 2:54 am)markydh wrote As for Boxing Day services, the 22 and 40 will be operating. I wish they'd operate a bit longer into the early evening, though. Similarly, I do think it's high time the 18:00 cut offs on Christmas and New Year's Eve were consigned to history.

Along with the Saturday timetables that follow after Boxing Day.

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(18 Nov 2016, 2:54 am)markydh wrote What does Eldon Square have over the Metrocentre? John Lewis and Fenwick for starters. The *only* major store that the Metrocentre has uniquely is House of Fraser. There are countless restaurants and bars opening every year in Newcastle and the new Grey's Quarter is fantastic! Next week, the council is set to give the East Pilgrim Street project reboot the final go-ahead.

As for Boxing Day services, the 22 and 40 will be operating. I wish they'd operate a bit longer into the early evening, though. Similarly, I do think it's high time the 18:00 cut offs on Christmas and New Year's Eve were consigned to history.

Another two shops that I can think of that Eldon Square has but the MetroCentre doesn't is Addidas and Hollister.

The Hollister shop is a strange one, let's make it like a rainforest and have the whole shop in darkness [emoji14]

No fat face in the metrocentre, either.

I've always gone to Newcastle for proper shopping and the metrocentre when it's raining.

My main gripe with Sunderland, and I think I've covered this in another thread, is that planners have opted for a generic, soulless shopping mall instead of developing the traditional shopping areas of Fawcett Street, John Street and High Street West. This has resulted in some shops, like M&S and, in the past, Joplings (or whatever it became), being out on the periphery of the main shopping area surrounded by derelict shells of former buildings as well as the likes of Poundland and other various bargain shops. This is not to say there isn't a place for The Bridges in Sunderland, but if you look at other cities like Newcastle, Leeds or Manchester, planners have managed to combine shopping malls with the traditional high-street to enhance the shopping experience and also to promote the cultural and architectural history of their cities.

(18 Nov 2016, 6:02 am)Jimmi wrote Another two shops that I can think of that Eldon Square has but the MetroCentre doesn't is Addidas and Hollister.

The Hollister shop is a strange one, let's make it like a rainforest and have the whole shop in darkness [emoji14]

As I said above, John Lewis and Fenwick.

What's happening with the Q3?

Just been looking at the Boxing Day services.
Can't help feeling there's a missed opportunity with the Coast Road services finishing early (granted the Metro is there) in addition to the X1 terminating short for its last few runs.

I only looked at the 4 timetable quickly, but does anyone know where that last 4 from the Galleries comes from? I can't work out which board it is if from. It just appears.

(25 Nov 2016, 6:04 pm)Andreos1 wrote Just been looking at the Boxing Day services.
Can't help feeling there's a missed opportunity with the Coast Road services finishing early (granted the Metro is there) in addition to the X1 terminating short for its last few runs.

I only looked at the 4 timetable quickly, but does anyone know where that last 4 from the Galleries comes from? I can't work out which board it is if from. It just appears.

Looks like the it's the X1 that terminates at Washington at 18:51.

(25 Nov 2016, 6:10 pm)Tom wrote Looks like the it's the X1 that terminates at Washington at 18:51.

The boards off the 4 wouldn't work, unless the vehicle sits around for a bit (mind they do that at Houghton), so you may be right. 
A decker on the 4? Hope the driver remembers it's a short journey if it is!

Mind i'm surprised the GNE 20 is running only half hourly, thought it would of been every 20 minutes.

(26 Nov 2016, 12:49 pm)Michael wrote Mind i'm surprised the GNE 20 is running only half hourly, thought it would of been every 20 minutes.

It will operate with Volvo B9s - so still providing more capacity than usual.

(26 Nov 2016, 12:54 pm)Dan wrote It will operate with Volvo B9s - so still providing more capacity than usual.

That's good, i didn't think about that.

I would imagine, most services will be run by their normal buses?

(26 Nov 2016, 12:57 pm)Michael wrote That's good, i didn't think about that.

I would imagine, most services will be run by their normal buses?

Yes, with a few exceptions.

Service 97 will also be allocated Volvo B9s, for example, and will interwork with the X50 service.

(26 Nov 2016, 12:59 pm)Dan wrote Yes, with a few exceptions.

Service 97 will also be allocated Volvo B9s, for example, and will interwork with the X50 service.

That's good, glad they're thinking of capacity this year especially when Newcastle are at home.


Stagecoach offering the same service as the last 4 years in Sunderland - 10am till 6pm.......................... -.-

(26 Nov 2016, 1:04 pm)Michael wrote That's good, glad they're thinking of capacity this year especially when Newcastle are at home.


Stagecoach offering the same service as the last 4 years in Sunderland - 10am till 6pm.......................... -.-

Yes but not so much about people from the coast and battle hill areas for the game as no metros go to battle hill but buses coming off early so going to be a pain for match fans. Surly they can run later like they have in past years.

Arriva are plugging their Boxing Day '17 services via on-bus posters, off the top of my head 43, X10/11, X16, 308 and X21/22.

(21 Sep 2017, 2:58 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Arriva are plugging their Boxing Day '17 services via on-bus posters, off the top of my head 43, X10/11, X16, 308 and X21/22.

Hopefully a longer service this year, given Newcastle host Manchester City at 15:00. Imagine quite a few people will be staying out after that one, regardless of the score!

(22 Sep 2017, 9:14 pm)mb134 wrote Hopefully a longer service this year, given Newcastle host Manchester City at 15:00. Imagine quite a few people will be staying out after that one, regardless of the score!

Who knows! 

It's all well and good promoting that they'll be running buses on Boxing Day, but in September and not publishing times to go along with it is just gonna make it another failure... Another marketing team success 

We should start seeing the boxing day services appear on VOSA in the next 1 or 2 weeks, i think we'll get mostly the same as last year but i expect the Stagecoach X24 to run on boxing day, as it didn't start until January 2017.

(04 Nov 2017, 11:12 am)Michael wrote We should start seeing the boxing day services appear on VOSA in the next 1 or 2 weeks, i think we'll get mostly the same as last year but i expect the X24 to run on boxing day, as it didn't start until January 2017.

The arriva X24? It doesn't even run Saturdays, now. It's just a peak college/works run on weekdays.

(04 Nov 2017, 2:06 pm)BusLoverMum wrote The arriva X24? It doesn't even run Saturdays, now. It's just a peak college/works run on weekdays.

I meant the Stagecoach X24


Stupid emoji's isn't working so it looks daft when it comes up with "" at end of the reply!

(04 Nov 2017, 11:12 am)Michael wrote We should start seeing the boxing day services appear on VOSA in the next 1 or 2 weeks, i think we'll get mostly the same as last year but i expect the Stagecoach X24 to run on boxing day, as it didn't start until January 2017.

be amazed if X24 gets in service on Boxing Day. X34 never has in the past. however it took the X24 to be introduced for a Bank Holiday Monday service to operate on X34 so we may get suprised. But I'm not holding my breath. I don't think stagecoach have really altered their Boxing Day services since the days Go North East didn't operate at all and Stagecoach took their routes on Boxing Day.

(04 Nov 2017, 2:38 pm)ifm001 wrote be amazed if X24 gets in service on Boxing Day. X34 never has in the past. however it took the X24 to be introduced for a Bank Holiday Monday service to operate on X34 so we may get suprised. But I'm not holding my breath. I don't think stagecoach have really altered their Boxing Day services since the days Go North East didn't operate at all and Stagecoach took their routes on Boxing Day.

Na, i'm not either, would be good if they did.

(04 Nov 2017, 2:09 pm)Michael wrote I meant the Stagecoach X24


Stupid emoji's isn't working so it looks daft when it comes up with "" at end of the reply!

(04 Nov 2017, 11:12 am)Michael wrote We should start seeing the boxing day services appear on VOSA in the next 1 or 2 weeks, i think we'll get mostly the same as last year but i expect the Stagecoach X24 to run on boxing day, as it didn't start until January 2017.

Single day timetables only need to be registered with 21 days notice - although many Operators do either register and/or advise LAs further in advance. Last I heard, TFGM still hadn't been supplied with all the Christmas Period changes, but past experience suggests its the small Operators that either haven't decided, or haven't got round to informing TFGM.